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The Impossibility of Annihilation and Eternal Hell
Picture it: The Almighty God creates and Satan says, “NO.” The false teaching of annihilationism teaches that God creates human beings and because of their supposed ‘free-will’ combined with Satan’s power, the human that God created to exist will be taken out of existence. God creates and that creation is rubbed out of existence by the almighty Satan and the almighty free-will of man. Blasphemy!
So, according to annihilationists, God can’t even keep His own creation in existence.
God’s goal is to create perfect, glorified children through His Son, Jesus Christ. However, those that teach annihilation believe that God cannot achieve His goal. Not only that, but the very creatures God created to be His children are taken out of existence by forces outside of His control. How can you say this being is God if He can’t even keep His own creation in existence?
I am going to go over just a few verses that people may use to imply annihilation and then use a few verses to completley annihilate any possibility of annihilation.
New King James Version
When the wicked spring up like grass, And when all the workers of iniquity flourish, It is that they may be destroyed forever. -Psalm 92:7New King James Version
The LORD preserves all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy. -Psalm 145:20New International Version
All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good, so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them. -Ecclesiastes 9:2It is first important to understand that the old testament writings teach that death is the destiny for all, good and bad, righteous and wicked. This death is a permanent condition from which there is no hope.
You see, there is no question about what death is and no doubt about its permanence. That is our curse and our old testament writers knew that. Ecclesiastes 9:5 says that the dead know nothing. They have no conscious thought or existence. They are gone.
Without going into too much detail, we know that at death the body returns to the soil from which it came and the spirit returns to God from which it came. Death is a return to the state of ‘no conscious thought’ that we were before birth. Now, our spirit goes to God, but it is not conscious. The soul is a combination of a body and spirit. Therefore, we will not regain consciousness until God gives us a new body to house our spirit.
This is why death is equated to sleep. We can say that our spirit is with God, but death is sleep because we are not conscious until we are resurrected. Alright, enough on that.
My point is that the old testament writers knew what death was and there was no question that everyone was heading there. However, the question to be asked is asked in Job 14:14:
New King James Version
If a man dies, shall he live again?The question to ask is not what death is but when a man dies, will he live again? There is no life somewhere else when a man dies. He is dead. There is no life in heaven, hell, or some sort of soul conscious state. When a man dies, he is dead. Everyone knows that if one follows the proper definition of ‘death’ in scripture. Death is a permanent condition and the dead are indeed, no more. So again, the question to ask is this: If a man dies, will he live again?
NO! That is UNTIL Jesus Christ came along. It’s interesting that one of the defining words of the word ‘forever’ in Psalm 92:7 is UNTIL. Though death is a permanent condition, Jesus Christ defied death by entering it. Christ Jesus entered the death state, the unconscious state, the knowing nothing state…in order for God to free Him and us from that state.
In order to understand what Christ accomplished, we must understand the hopeless destruction of death. That is what is explained in scripture anytime death, destruction, separation from God, being lost, being no more, etc. are discussed. Now, once we understand death and its finality…enter Christ Jesus.
Christ Jesus blew a whole in the permance of death so all creation will one day come out of it. That is why Christ’s death is a big deal! He took a permanent condition and made it a pre-requisite guarantee for immortality. Don’t ever let anyone take scripture out of context when death, destruction, and being lost is discussed. These are not permanent conditions. If Christ didn’t enter death than yes, they are permanent conditions…as the Old Testament writers were writing from this perspective. But, Christ did enter death and so death and destruction can never be permanent for any creature.
So, let’s be clear that using the term annihilation is just another way of explaining that people will be dead forever. This is a complete impossibilty because of Christ Jesus. In fact, destruction and annihilation as some people call it, is a necessary prelude to immortality. Let’s take a brief look at Luke 19:10.
New King James Version
for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” -Luke 19:10The Greek word used for ‘lost’ in this verse is Strong’s 622, ‘Apollumi.’ It means ‘to destroy, to perish, to lose, kill, the rusultant death being viewed as certain.’
Lexicon
apollumi: To destroy, to perish, to lose
Original Word: ἀπόλλυμι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: apollumi
Pronunciation: ä-pŏl’-lü-mē
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-ol’-loo-mee)
Definition: To destroy, to perish, to lose
Meaning: (a) I kill, destroy, (b) I lose, mid: I am perishing (the resultant death being viewed as certain).This word described destruction and annihalation of the lost. Annihilationists would say there is no hope for these people. However, these are the very people that Jesus came to save!
Jesus came to seek and to save those that are lost, destroyed, perished, those that have certain death. People need to be in this state IN ORDER TO BE SAVED. Annihilationists want to make this a permanent condition when Jesus Christ says this condition is needed in order to be saved.
One look at 1 Corinthians, chapter 15 will furthur prove the impossibility of annihilation of any of God’s creatures.
First, in Corinthians 15:22, Paul says that in Adam, ALL are dying, thus also, in Christ shall ALL be vivified. This is consistent with everything I’ve written about in this article. Christ came to seek and to save the lost and here in Corinthains, all must die in Adam in order to be vivified by Christ.
Now, this verse says that the exact same all that die in Adam are the exact same all vivified by Christ. ‘Vivified’ means to make alive beyond the possibility of death. So, if everyone that dies in Adam is made alive beyond the possibility of death, then how can annihilation (the absence of life) be a thing? It Can’t!
Now, Paul goes on to explain and define the all in the context. He mentions all sovereignty, authority, and power, as well as every man that dies in Adam. Remember that Satan and his minions are authorities and powers of the air. So, this is all creation and all creation is subjected to Christ. On top of that, Paul goes on to say that the only being not subject to Christ is God Himself.
So, when Paul says that God will be All in all in 1 Corinthians 15:28, there can be no doubt that this is every creature ever created. However, those that hate the power of the cross, will object and say that this ‘all’ does not include those that have been annihilated or banished to hell. Nevermind that Paul already included every creature in this ‘all’ in order to show what ‘all’ includes. Christians just ingnore that.
Here is the kicker. In 1 Corinthians 15:27, death is abolished. Abolished means to render inoperative, not existing anymore. So again, there are many religious people that say God is All in all, but this does not include those annihilated. However, this argument directly denies the fact that death is abolished. They just changed the word death to annihilation.
Death is what we inherited from Adam and its non-existence and separation from God. It has been abolished, yet annihilationists still claim that people will cease to exist and be separate from God for all eternity. The only separation here is the Christian separation from the truth of Christ’s accomplishment.
Again, the problem here is applying annihlation and death to eternity. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15: 36-37 that we need to die in order to be made immortal. The mistake that many make is applying to eternity (annihilation and death) that which is the very stepping stone to immortality. Death is needed for immortality and yet the Christian annihilationist stops at death. Keep going my friend.
42 Thus also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is roused in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is roused in glory. It is sown in infirmity; it is roused in power. 44 It is sown a soulish body; it is roused a spiritual body.
45 If there is a soulish body, there is a spiritual also. Thus it is written also, The first man, Adam, “became a living soul:” the last Adam a vivifying Spirit. -1 Corinthians 15: 42-45The religious world warns of corruption, dishonor, and infirmity and yet these are the necessary foundation of immortality in the above verses. Annihilation, death, and separation from God…whatever you call it…absolutely cannot be the end state of any human being. Why? Because these things are the necessary building blocks of immortality and can only run the course from death to life as described in scripture.
Destruction is a prelude to an immortal life with God. Permanent destruction, death, or annihilation is a complete impossibility because of Christ and the only way one can believe these things are permanent is if they reject Christ.
Christ annihilates any possibility of permanent annihilation.
Thank you Lord!
In closing, Romans 5: 12-13 says that death passed through into all mankind, on which all sinned. So, our sin, all of our sin, comes because death is operating in us. Therefore, if there is any sin left in the universe, then it is a result of death.
In the end of 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the apostle Paul taunts death by alluding to a few old testament verses.
54 Now, whenever this corruptible should be putting on incorruption and this mortal should be putting on immortality, then shall come to pass the word which is written, Swallowed up was Death by Victory. 55 Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting? -1 Corinthians 15: 54-55
If not all are saved and many are annihlated or eternally tormented, then death and its sting of sin will still hold a great deal of God’s creatures. So, how can Paul taunt death by asking where it is and by asking where is the sin it produces?
I imagine death and sin answering back to Paul based on the teaching of annihilation by saying “What do you mean, I took most of God’s creation and made it not exist. There I am and there is my sting.” Death would be right.
The only way the apostle Paul or any of us can taunt death is if it and its sting (sin) has been eradicated from the universe and no longer hold any of God’s creatures. This is exactly what is explained in 1 Corinthians 15 when every creature takes on the immortality of Christ Jesus.
More on this in a coming article.
Grace and peace to you all.
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Annihilation is Just as False as Eternal Hell
Death, destruction, separation from God, and any other term related to being lost is not a permanent condition, but a necessary step in the salvation process. Death is a permanent condition without Christ Jesus in view. Christ entered death so that death is no longer permanent, but a step in the process of salvation. The great trajedy of religion is that it confuses the process with the destination. Religion thinks death or being lost is eternal when in fact, it is a necessary step in the process of salvation.
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The Spirit of God vs. The Flesh of Religion
So according to my previous video/article, God subjects us to vanity, sin, disobedience, and death in order to SET US FREE from those things THROUGH AND ONLY THROUGH Christ’s death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection.
This is why Paul says in Galatians 5:1 that “For freedom Christ free us!” Does that mean we can do whatever we want and still be saved? I’ll ask and answer that question at the end of this article.
First, lets look at the immediate context of Galatians 5:1. Does Paul say that Christ frees us so that we can no longer sin? No, that is not the context. Paul explains what we are free from in verses 2 through 6. In short, we are free from law…the do’s and don’t do’s of life. Paul says that if the Galatians go back to law, they are EXEMPTED from Christ.
You see, Christ completes justification for us through completing the law perfectly, dying on the cross for our sins, being entombed, and resurrected by God. In spirit, we are awaiting the expectation of rightousness by faith. Any attempt on our part to complete the law to be justified or maintain the law to be justified IS spitting in the face of Christ’s accomplishment. He did what we could not do and He justifies us. In spirit, we have these promises. Doing anything of ourselves (flesh) in order to earn or maintian salvation is OUTSIDE the spirit that saves us.
We fall out of grace, not by sinning, but by attempting to follow the rules that religion claims will earn or maintain your salvation. These acts of flesh trust in ‘self’ and not in the grace of God through Christ. It is not possible to fall out of grace by sinning because were sin increases, grace superexceeds (Romans 5:20).
2 Lo! I, Paul, am saying to you that if you should be circumcising, Christ will benefit you nothing. 3 Now I am attesting again to every man who is circumcising, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Exempted from Christ were you who are being justified in law. You fall out of grace. 5 For we, in spirit, are awaiting the expectation of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision is availing anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith, operating through love. – Galatians 5: 2-6
It is vitally important to understand what ‘In spirit’ means in order to truly understand our freedom. Maybe more specifically, to understand what the ‘Spirit’ enable us to do.
12 Now we obtained, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we may be perceiving that which is being graciously given to us by God… -1 Corinthians 2:12
You see, the spirit isn’t about doing, its about knowing. The Spirit of God causes us to perceive (know) what has been done for us by Christ. That is precisely why we can be sinning and behaving poorly and still have all that is Christ’s. Our treasures are dependent on Christ’s accomplishment for humanity and not our ability to sin or not sin.
Religion attempts to make salvation dependent upon ‘our behavior’ or ‘our faith’ and fails to trust in Christ’s accomplishment. Religion substitutes fleshly acts of self-rightousness and holds this above the ‘in spirit’ that relies on Christ’s accomplishment. Worse yet, the religious make a human act of flesh (free-will) the prerequisite to enter into Christ. They always bring it back to law…do this and be saved, don’t do this and be damned. This puts flesh above spirit.
We know that what Christ did, He did for the whole human race. That is why the apostle Paul compares Jesus to Adam. Death and condemnation was put on every human because of Adam. The human didn’t make a ‘free-will’ choice or ‘sin’ in order to get death from Adam. No, humanity inherited death from Adam.
In the exact same way, not by any ‘free-will’ choice nor human act of righteousness, we inherit justification and life from Christ. Humanity inherits justification and life from Christ, by no act of their own.
Christ gives justification and life to the exact same all that Adam gave condemnation and death…and in the exact same way: separate from any and all human behavior. That is why Christ is greater than Adam, because He saves all that Adam lost. The following verses make this clear:
18 Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also it is through one just award for all mankind for life’s justifying. 19 For even as, through the disobedience of the one man, the many were constituted sinners, thus also, through the obedience of the One, the many shall be constituted just. -Romans 5: 18-19
21 For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead. 22 For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. -1 Corinthians 15: 21-22
Simple. One either believes scripture or they don’t. You either believe that Christ accomplishes salvation and justification (spirit) or you believe in fleshly human achievement (religion).
Everything we have is because of Christ’s behavior. Therfore, we are FREE from our behavior ever putting us out of the favor of God. God is at peace with us because of CHRIST (2 Corinthians 5: 18-19), not our human behavior in some how achieving Christ.
Grace is underserved favor from God. What we do not deserve is ours in Christ, in spirit. Any attempt to earn something that we wouldn’t have if we acted a certain way or made a certain decision…IS NOT GRACE and therefore, IS NOT IN SPIRIT. Christianity has made a living on telling you what YOU MUST DO in order to earn spirit. Spirit is not earned…it is accomplished by CHRIST.
This is why Paul can say in Romans 8:1 that there is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus and that all is allowed us in 1 Corinthians 6:12. If you are condemned in doing something or prohibited from salvation because of something you did, then obviously not all is allowed you. Paul says that there is no condemnation and that all is allowed us because in Christ we have perfect behavior no matter what we do in the flesh. If you think prohibitions of ‘you can’t do’ or compliance of ‘you better do’ effect the perfect behavior you have in Christ, then you simple are not trusting in Christ nor His cross.
Okay, Scott, so what about faith? Surly we have to believe this in order for this grace to apply to us. Surly we must accept and act right in order to receive these gifts that are ‘in spirit.’ No sir, no mam!
Remember, being in spirit means knowing what has been done for us by Christ. Therefore, if a faith decision, rejection, or any act on our part blocks our salvation, then obviously it wasn’t done for us. As a result, the faith decision, rejection or act is NOT IN SPIRIT. Again, religion makes its living on making what has been done by Christ contingent upon what you do. This is FALSE.
Again, so what about faith? Faith is simply the realization of Christ’s completed work. Faith gives us knowledge of what is true, but does not make something true. The Christian will say that Christ saved you by His death, but then say Christ didn’t save you if you don’t respond properly. So, which it? Did Christ save us or didn’t He?
Sinner: Did Christ die for sin?
Mr. Christian: Yes, He did.
Sinner: Sweet! So I am saved. See you later.
Mr. Christian: Wait, you have to accept that Jesus died for your sin and start living better.
Sinner: What if I don’t?
Mr. Christian: Well then, you are not saved.
Sinner: Huh? I thought you said Jesus died for my sin?
Mr. Christian: No, He only died for you if you believe He died for you.
Sinner: So Christ’s death actually accomplished nothing for me unless I make it true by my own belief?
In the conversation above, Mr. Christian has taken away Christ’s accomplishment and challenges the sinner’s flesh to respond ‘out of spirit’ in order to gain Christ. Mr. Christian fails the test of the spirit. Being ‘in spirit’ is knowing what Christ has done for us, but according to Mr. Christian, Christ has done nothing for you without YOUR contribution and that is how you know it is not ‘in spirit.’
The bottom line and I’ll say this again, faith does not make something true or false. I’m sitting here drinking a cup of coffee, whether you believe that or not does not change the fact. Faith is belief in something that is true regardless of whether you believe it or not.
Faith is a realization of the complete work of Christ. It benefits us to know what Christ has accomplished for us because we can revel in it now and we have a special, early salvation. Unbelievers will simply come to this realization later through judgement.
10 (for for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers. -1 Timothy 4:10
Faith and judgement are part of the salvation process and it is God that gives both. The ability to believe or not believe is not a human fleshly act of free-will. Instead, one can only believe if God has given that person faith to believe that Christ saved them. If God does not grant belief, then that person will not believe and will come to know Christ’s completed work through judgement.
3 For I am saying, through the grace which is given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to be overweening, beyond what your disposition must be, but to be of a sane disposition, as God parts to each the measure of faith. – Romans 12:3
So there you have it. We are free from all condemnaton, all things are allowed us, all things are clean to us. That is why we truly have freedom that Christ freed us for. Our salvation does not come from anything we do or don’t do, but is completely wrapped up in Christ’s death for Sin, His entombment, and His resurrection. Christ completed salvation for all and we contributed nothing.
Now, back to the question I asked at the beginning of this article. Does this mean we can do whatever we want? Yes, it does. Because if Christ accomplished it…it is accomplished…for you…for me…for all. However, once one truly comes to this realization…a realization that only comes from God given faith, that person only wants to live a life of thanksgiving to God and Christ.
Why would you want to act in a way that disrespects the one that gave you this freedom. It’s like someone freeing you from a desparate situation and you immediately attacking that person. See, God doesn’t desire our good works under probation or threat of losing Christ. God does not dangle the prize of salvation in our face waiting for us to earn His favor. God desires our thanksgiving and outflow of love that is unhindered by the compulsion of law.
The Christian or religious person only attempts to act right or do good deeds under threat of punishment. This is not an outflow of love and thanksgiving, but instead it is a loveless act of fear and duty.
Paul, our apostle to the nations, says that grace drives our behavior. If grace drives our behavior, then we must have this grace regardless of our behavior. Otherwise, the motivation would be reward or punishment and not grace. Paul realizes and teaches that we are saved apart from any and all behavior. This realization causes us to behave because if we don’t, we still have the grace.
12 For our boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, yet more superabundantly toward you. -2 Corinthians 1: 12
So again, are we free to act however we want? Yes, because we are saved by Christ’s act and not ours. However, I contend that anyone that even asks this question has not understood the grace of God through Christ Jesus. Why? Because anyone that has experienced this grace would only want to show thanksgiving and appreciation for what Christ has done.
Thank you Christ Jesus, You truly are the successful Savior of the world!
Grace and peace to you all.
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God is Responsible for Reconciling ALL that He Created
I attended and spoke at a Concordant Conference this past weekend in Kansas City, Missouri. During the conference, two verses came up that really summarizes God’s creation and Christ’s work on the cross. These verses are Genesis 1:1 and Colossians 1:20.
In a beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth. – Genesis 1:1
and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens. – Colossians 1:20
In fact, you can just combine these two verses and make them one continuous sentence of truth:
In a beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth and through Him (Christ) to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens.
God created the heavens and the earth and everything and everyone in them. Through the blood of Christ’s cross, God reconciles the heavens and the earth and EVERYONE in them.
Notice that the heavens and the earth are the two realms of creation, not hell. Hell was not created because it does not exist…or should I say…hell does not exist because it was never created. Notice also that the heavens and the earth created by God are the exact same heavens and earth reconciled to God through the blood of the cross.
God does not create the heavens and the earth and then only reconcile a portion of those heavens and earth. No, He creates all and reconciles all. That is the point in these two verses. Here we have the creation and completion of God’s creation. So, what’s the problem?
The problem is that people get lost in the process of reconciliation and consider the process…the end. The truth is that the process in not the end but the means to the end. The end being reconciliation of the whole universe to God, through Christ.
Alot happens between creation and reconcilaition. Sin, death, creatures being lost and broken, and everything else happens throughout the ages of time. However, every experience we have, whether good or bad, whether lost in this life or found, will eventually lead us to a greater understanding of God and His accomplishment through His Son.
Paul goes through great lengths to prove that all of God’s creation is saved by Christ. Isn’t it enough that the heavens and earth are reconciled? Yet, Paul elaborates on who ‘the all reconciled to God through Christ’ actually includes so there is no doubt:
15 Who is the Image of the invisible God, Firstborn of every creature,
16 for in Him is all created, that in the heavens and that on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or lordships, or sovereignties, or authorities, all is created through Him and for Him… – Colossians 1: 15-16The above verses say that Christ, the Image of the invisible God, is the Firstborn of EVERY CREATURE. That includes every single human, animal, and spiritual entity.
The above verses say that in Him (Christ) ALL is created, everything in the heavens and earth (the only two realms of existence).
The above verses say that if a creature is visible or invisible, God created them through Christ Jesus. Tell me…is there any creature that is neither visible nor invisible? Of course not, so this includes every creature.
The above verses say that through Christ, God created thrones, lordships, sovereignties, and authorities. Did you know that Satan is the chief authority of the air (Ephesians 2:2)? So God created Satan and all evil sovereignties, authorities, and world-mights of darkness and wickedness among the celestials (Ephesians 6:12).
So, if God created all authorities and Satan is an authority…well, there you go.
So, if Adolf Hitler is a creature…well, there you go.
So, if everyone you know is either visible or invisible…well, there you go.
Okay, there is no doubt that all is created by God through Christ. However, there are many that say all are created by God but not all are saved by God. Well, Paul went through this trouble to define the ALL created by God. Why?
Paul went through the trouble of clearly defining the ALL in these verses to include every single creature ever created in order to show what happens to ALL of these creatures. What is the end for all these creatures that God created? What is the end for every being, good and wicked, visible and invisible, every creature on earth or in the heavens?
Colossians 1:20 tells us:
20 and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens.
The same ALL created by God through Christ are the EXACT SAME ALL reconciled to God through the blood of the cross. That is the end for every single creature…immortality and life with God is every creature’s end because of CHRIST’S DEATH, ENTOMBMENT, AND RESURRECTION!
Don’t worry about Satan and Hitler, the time between God creating the heavens and the earth and the reconciliation of the heavens and the earth, will bring severe judgement, correction, and death for these evil doers. Satan, in fact, will be tormented for the eons of the eons in the lake of fire before being reconciled to God.
Though it is important to know that judgement and death touch people to varying degrees and severity, we must also understand that the heaviest judgement is in the end, temporary. Christ’s death abolished death and in the fullness of time…all will be delivered from it.
God created ALL and is responsible for saving ALL. Jesus Christ’s death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection does exactly that. Salvation is God’s accomplishment through Christ Jesus.
Though many are lost for a time, every one of God’s creatures come through Christ in the end so that God fulfills His purpose in creating the heavens and the earth. That purpose is to be All in everyone of His creatures (1 Corinthians 15:28).
Jesus indeed accomplishes God’s mission. He is a perfect Savior, undefeated in reconciling God’s creatures. All God’s creation will be with God in the end.
Thank you Lord Jesus!
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Ephesians: Our Dreams vs. God’s Reality
This is going to be an encouraging message because I want to get to a verse in Ephesians that shows just how great God is and the treasures that He has waiting for us…
But first, I want to briefly set things up by going over Ephesians, chapter one. For anyone that still believes in the complete nonsense of human free will, I’d like you to read these versese carefully and ask yourself: Is it God or man that does this?
I am just going to quote Ephesians chapter one verses 1-12 and will bold every mention of God’s action and underline every mention of man’s action. Here we go…
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to all the saints who are also believers in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who blesses us with every spiritual blessing among the celestials, in Christ,
4 according as He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world, we to be holy and flawless in His sight,
5 in love designating us beforehand for the place of a son for Him through Christ Jesus; in accord with the delight of His will,
6 for the laud of the glory of His grace, which graces us in the Beloved:
7 in Whom we are having the deliverance through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses in accord with the riches of His grace,
8 which He lavishes on us; in all wisdom and prudence
9 making known to us the secret of His will (in accord with His delight, which He purposed in Him)
10 to have an administration of the complement of the eras, to head up all in the Christ — both that in the heavens and that on the earth —
11 in Him in Whom our lot was cast also, being designated beforehand according to the purpose of the One Who is operating all in accord with the counsel of His will,
12 that we should be for the laud of His glory, who are pre-expectant in the Christ. -Ephesians 1: 1-12Notice that I have highlighted 10 separate phrases that show God chooses and does the saving and not one phrase is underlined. Why? Because man does nothing and only has what God has given them. Man only does what God has ordained for him to do…and not do.
Where is human action here?
-Paul is an apostle according to the will of God, not his human will (verse 1).
–God chooses us before the disruption of the world (verse 4). How could it be our free will if the choice was made before we were born?
-God designates us beforehand for a place of a son (verse 5). Before we do anything good or bad.
-We are chosen in accord with the delight of His will, not our will (verse 5).
–We are chosen for the glory and laud of His grace, not us earning it in any way (verse 6).
–He (God) lavishes this grace on us, again, we don’t earn it (verse 8).
-This is done in accord with His delight (verse 9).
-He (God) purposed this in Him (Christ).
-We were designated beforehand (before we were born, before we did anything good or bad).
-God is operating ALL in accord with the counsel of His will, and is not subject to our will (verse 11).
–We are pre-expectant in Christ (verse 12). This means we are chosen by God to taste these treasures.
It’s all God and not man. God chooses who will believe beforehand, before man has any life or capacity to make choices. God works out the circumstances of those He has chosen so that they come to belief at an appointed time during their life. If God did not choose for a person to believe then as their life unfolds, they will not believe. Don’t worry, God has a specific plan to bring them through the cross at their appointed time as well…only through judgment. All is of God.
There is so much in the first three chapters of Ephesians, I encourage my readers to go over these verses very carefully. Now, that we established this action is of God, on to Ephesians 3:20.
20 Now to Him Who is able to do superexcessively above all that we are requesting or apprehending, according to the power that is operating in us -Ephesians 3:20
I don’t know about you, but my dreams are far higher than reality. In other words, I dream of things that are so far above and beyond in joy, greatness, love, etc….that reality can be very dissappointing at times. Reality is no match for the height of my dreams or my thoughts…or even my requests.
I think of being more loving, more successful, more spiritual, and those dreams and what I can think go far beyond what I am in reality. Why is it that I can think greater than what God can do? Why are my requests not fulfilled as I desire? It won’t always be this way and this is part of the evil that we have to experience in order to know what it is truly like when God is our all. We have to have an experience of what its like to be without God in order to truly understand what its like when God fills us up (paraphrasing A.E. Knoch).
Ephesians 3:20 says that God can do superexcessively above all that we are requesting or even can think about! I don’t know about you, but I can think on and request some pretty great things.
The point is: There will come a time when this verse will be fulfilled in every creature. There will come a time when what we can ask and think can’t come close to the reality that God provides. The opposite of what occurs today in this experience of evil. As I said before, reality today is no match for the height of my dreams, thoughts and requests. In contrast…my dreams, thoughts, and requests in the future will be no match for reality when God is our All.
I know there are many, probably religious folk, that would say God has already done this in their life. I’m sorry, but what a lolipop life you must live and this message probably isn’t for you. In fact, religion would probably say that God only saving a fraction of His own creation and sending the rest to eternal hell or annihilation is doing ‘superexcessively above’ what we can ask or think.
I would think if the topic was salvation then God doing supperexcessively above what mankind can request or think would involve saving all His creation and not just a fraction of it. That is exactly what scripture says and I would contend that people rejecting the salvation of all through Christ’s cross actually like that people are in eternal hell or separate from God forever. God doing superexcessively more that what they can ask or think involves God burning and bruttaly torturing MORE people for ever.
What a trajedy to believe in eternal conscious torment or eternal annihilation. What a trajedy to believe that God doing superexcessively more than we can ask or think doesn’t involve saving each one of His creations.
The fact is that He saves each one of His creatures and SO much more. We will all step into this reality in God’s timing.
Grace and peace to you all!
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Why does God subject us to SUFFERING, VANITY, and DISOBEDIENCE?
Why is there so much suffering in the world? Why did Jesus have to suffer? Great questions that I think religion does a poor job of answering.
10 For it became Him, because of Whom all is, and through Whom all is, in leading many sons into glory, to perfect the Inaugurator of their salvation through sufferings. – Hebrews 2:10
Jesus Christ was perfected through sufferings in order to lead many sons into glory! So clearly suffering, though extremely unpleasant, serves a great purpose in God’s grand plan.
Oftentimes in life, people that share difficult experiences together form a close, unique relationship that otherwise would not have been developed without this difficult circumstance. Suffering makes us look beyond ourselves and ultimately bring us closer to our Creator.
Christ Jesus, the Son of the Almighty God, was made inferior to mere messengers because of the suffering of death (Hebrews 2:9). This was done so that He should be tasting death for the sake of everyone (Hebrews 2:9).
So, Christ had to suffer in order to enter death for all mankind. Of course, death brings suffering and it is impossible to taste death without suffering. However, this suffering of Jesus was used to perfect the Savior for the salvation of all mankind. So Jesus shared in our suffering in order that we may share in His glory of resurrection and immortality. Better said: We share in the suffering of Christ so that we share in His glory.
Let us remember that we are saved by the faith of Christ. Without suffering and death, what faith would Christ have needed? Death is what we inheritied from Adam, so Christ needed to enter it for us. The suffering leading to Christ’s death on the cross required a faith in God to follow through with resurrection. Jesus was going into death and death, according to scripture, is the absence of life. The absence of conscious existence.
So, when our Lord committed His Spirit to God, He had FAITH that God would make Him alive. This suffering, this death, and this faith was needed in order for Christ to be vivified and perfected as the Firstborn of a new creation, as the glorified Son of God. That is why Christ was perfected through suffering. The suffering leads to glorification and Christ suffered for all mankind so that all mankind will one day be glorified, each in their own order of course.
17 Yet if children, enjoyers also of an allotment, enjoyers, indeed, of an allotment from God, yet joint enjoyers of Christ’s allotment, if so be that we are suffering together, that we should be glorified together also. -Romans 8:17
In Romans chapter 8, the apostle Paul says that creation is subjected to vanity by God. This vanity brings suffering to us and it is not of our own doing as most religious people would tell you. No, it is God that subjects us to this suffering.
Why would God do this?
God subjects us to vanity and the suffering it brings in order to SET US FREE FROM IT!
20 For to vanity was the creation subjected, not voluntarily, but because of Him Who subjects it, in expectation 21 that the creation itself, also, shall be freed from the slavery of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God. -Romans 8:20-21
God knows how to teach us and give us the greatest possible joy. He knows that in order for us to experience the deepest understanding and joy this freedom brings, we need to understand and have an experience of the bondage of suffering. Then, onced freed, we will revel in being children of God all the more.
We have an expectation of sonship and the deliverance of our bodies of sin, death, and suffering. Paul says that these sufferings do not deserve the glory about to be revealed for us. In essence, he is saying that these sufferings are just a necessary prelude to a future glory that is beyond our comprehension…but the joy of this future glory is dependent on the experience and knowledge of suffering.
18 For I am reckoning that the sufferings of the current era do not deserve the glory about to be revealed for us. -Romans 8:18
Suffering ties us together with Christ and as a result, ties us together with His glory. Through suffering, we form a deep connection with Christ that makes us indistiguishable from His suffering and glory. This, I believe, is why Paul can say that he rejoices in his sufferings (Colossians 1:24).
As far as Christ goes, He did not suffer because of His doing but because of ours. He is the spotless Lamb and the One through Whom we are justified. Christ suffers for our sins so that God can work those sins into good to fulfill His purpose and enhance His glory.
For an example of this, we can look no furthur than the greatest sin ever committed. The torture and murder of God’s Son. The people that killed Jesus sinned in horrible ways. However, through Christ’s suffering and death, God turnd the greatest sin of all time into the means of saving all creation. This is how God dealt with and justified all sin…through the suffering and death of Christ. Our sins, however great they are, will be turned into righteous acts that fulfill God’s purpose. This is how we are justified.
So, in suffering, we are acquainted with Christ’s suffering and the glory to come. This is why Peter, when talking about suffering, seems to always connect it with coming glory.
11 searching into what or what manner of era the spirit of Christ in them made evident, when testifying beforehand to the sufferings pertaining to Christ and the glories after these. -1 Peter 1:11
13 but, according as you are participating in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, that you may be rejoicing, exulting in the unveiling of His glory also. -1 Peter 4:13
In fact, Peter says that God adjusting, establishing, firming, and founding you is based on suffering. But, the suffering is only for a brief time. This is in agreement with Paul when he says our momentary suffering cannot be compared to the future glory that it produces. This is the common thread of suffering.
10 Now the God of all grace, Who calls you into His eonian glory in Christ, while briefly suffering, He will be adjusting, establishing, firming, founding you. -1 Peter 5:10
In conclusion, its all about God’s sovereignty and constrast. Suffering is the set-up for glory, and Christ’s glory and ours is dependent upon it. Yes, some people suffer more than others and in ways that is too much for us to comprehend. However know this, our suffering is calculated by God in order to produce an eternal weight of joy and glory far beyond what we can possibly imagine.
Grace and peace to you all.
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Does Judas Prove the Failure of the Cross?
Once again, Judas is brought up as the example that proves that Christ’s cross cannot save all. But, what does scripture say about the ultimate destiny of Judas or any other sinner? I’m not talking about the ‘temporary’ destiny of the lost, the unbeliever, and those that have perished. No, I’m talking about their ultimate, end, forever destiny. These two things the ‘temporary’ and the ‘forever’ are two very different things.
I have presented a substack conversation that I recently had with a detractor at the end of this article. However, I am going to disect this comment point by point in order to draw out some very important truths that stump christians and religious elites.
First, the point is made that Jesus said Judas perished and that the former disciple of Christ was lost. Then, the man or woman making this argument, says that there is no mention of Judas ultimately being redeemed ‘through judgement.’
Yes, I agree. Scripture does not specifically state that Judas Iscariot will be saved. However, scripture does state what was accomplished for every single sinner on Christ’s cross and Judas is of course, a sinner. Scripture also says what has been done for every creature of God. Judas is a creature of God. Scripture gives a detailed account of what Christ did for mankind and all those that die. Judas is both a man and he is also dead.
Anyway, I’ll come back to this point. Let me first deal with the statement that Judas perished and was lost. This statement is true of course. But, the mistake often made is in the assigning of ‘the lost’ to be in this state for eternity when scripture clearly teaches that it is a ‘temporary.’ We must understand that Christ’s earthly ministry was about Israel. My detractor wants to quote the gospels of John and Matthew, so let’s look in those gospels to see to exactly what Christ was referrring.
Now He, answering, said, “I was commissioned except for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” – Matthew 15:24
Wait a minute! Jesus Christ only came for Israel? No non-Jew is saved? Of course not! But, rightly dividing the word causes one to understand that while on earth, Jesus was concerned with Israel. So, let’s ask this question:
With what was Israel concerned at the time their Messiah appeared?
THEY WERE CONCERNED WITH THE 1000 YEAR MILLENIEL RULE OF THEIR MESSIAH! Isreal was concerned with who would rule in the kingdom, who will be in the kingdom, and what they would be doing in the kingdom. Is this not clear?
28 Yet Jesus said to them, “Verily, I am saying to you, that you who follow Me, in the renascence whenever the Son of Mankind should be seated on the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. – Matthew 19:28
30 that you may be eating and drinking at My table in My kingdom. And you will be seated on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” – Luke 22:30
Remember when the diciples asked Jesus who would be the greatest in the kingdom? It has to do with Israel’s rule in the 1000 year reign of Christ, not with eternity. That is what Israel and the diciples were concerned with and that is EXACTLY what Jesus addressed. What the cross did for all humanity is not revealed until Christ gives it to Paul. That is where you find ultimate salvation for all. However, Jesus was concerned with this 1000 year kingdom and THAT IS WHAT JUDAS AND OTHERS WILL MISS OUT ON. They will be lost and they have perished FOR THIS KINGDOM, not eternity.
11 Now I am saying to you that many from the east and the west shall be arriving and reclining with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens,
12 yet the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness. There shall be lamentation and gnashing of teeth.” – Matthew 8: 11-12Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have to do with Israel as does this kingdom. This kingdom does not last forever, but it lasts for 1,000 years. I’ll say it again…Judas and many others are lost during this time. However, they are not lost for eternity as we will see.
5 (The rest of the dead do not live until the thousand years should be finished.) This is the former resurrection. – Revelation 20:5
So now, Judas and other unbelievers will be raised to judgement. Remember judgement, contrary to what religious folk tell you, is correction and not punishment as Isaiah 26:9 says that the inhabitants of earth will learn righteousness when God’s judgements come (paraphrase).
So, what about those that are cast into the Lake of fire?
14 And death and the unseen were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death-the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone was not found written in the scroll of life, he was cast into the lake of fire. – Revelation 20: 14-15’
I’ve been over this many times, so I’ll keep this short. It is vitally important that we understand the words God used in scripture. The word ‘forever’ and ‘eternal’ in scripture are translated from the Hebrew word ‘Olam’ and the Greek word ‘aion/aionian.’ Through scripture, these words are proven to mean ‘age, agelong, of or pertaining to an age.’ Its not that these words shouldn’t be translated to mean ‘eternal or forever,’ its that they CAN’T mean ‘eternal or forever.’ So, any mention of people being punished, dead, perished, tortured for all eternity is nonsense and unscriptural.
In short, the lake of fire does not last forever because the lake of fire is DEATH and DEATH does not last forever.
This is the second death-the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14)—The last enemy is being abolished: death (1 Corinthians 15:26)
You see, there are many people and Judas being one of them, that will perish and be lost for the ages of the 1000 year reign and the New Heavens and the New Earth age. However, these people will not be lost forever. They are dead until death is abolished.
…and there is only one way death is abolished and that is by putting on the immortality of Christ Jesus.
You see Christian nation, Jesus reigns until all enemies, including death, are abolished. He does not reign forever and ever as that is a mistranslation, but instead His reign is for the ages of the ages…the next two glorious ages. So during Christ’s reign, enemies still exist, wicked soevereignties and authorities still exist, death still exists…therefore, people are still dead, lost, having perished.
However, Christ’s reign ends once all enemies are abolished, death being the last one. Once this happens, God’s creation is perfected. His entire creation is perfected. This end-game of God is discussed throughout scripture and especially in 1 Corinthians 15: 21-28.
Verse 21 and 22 talks about ALL THAT DIE IN ADAM. That is every human that has ever lived. So the context of these verses is speaking about ALL THAT DIE IN ADAM, not just believers. The furthur context of 1 Corinthians 15 is that Paul was speaking to people that did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, so again, this couldn’t be just for believers but instead for all humanity.
So, what does Paul say about all that die in Adam, all humanity? He says that the exact same ALL that die in Adam are the exact same ALL vivified (given Christ’s immortality) by Christ.
21 For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead. 22 For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. -1 Corinthians 15: 21-22
Then, Paul explains the order in which all are vivified as not all are given immortality at the same time. 1 Timothy 4:10 says that believers are given a special salvation that corresponds with the people that are Christ’s in His presence. This is the first group that gets immortality. However, unbelievers have a salvation, its just not the special salvation that believers have.
This is substantiated by Romans chapter 8 when Paul talks about believers being the first fruits of slavation so that they can work with Christ to save unbelievers (the rest of creation), not damn them for eternity. Consequently, Christ eventually gives up the kingdom to His God and Father. All sovereignty, all authority, and all power are nullified. Remember, Satan is the chief authority and power of the air. So he and all other forms of evil are NULLIFIED. If someone or something is nullified, then it can no longer have an effect on God’s creation. So, how can Satan or death hold any being for eternity when being abolished or nullified. Not possible!
So, again, the context is ALL THAT DIE IN ADAM and ALL SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, and POWER. These are the beings that make up every creature that God has created and the very ones that are included in 1 Corinthians 15:28. God will be All in all of His creation and this includes every evil sovereignty, authority, and power and it includes every human being that has died in Adam.
What christians don’t realized is that these verses go furthur into time than the book of Revelation. Just because Revelation is the last book in the bible, it does not mean that it goes the furthest in time. During revelation, Christ is still reigning and His enemies still exist. Here in Corinthians, Paul is talking about a time when Christ gives up His reign becaus He has perfected all of God’s creation.
So, the lost are lost for a period of time. At the end of that time, they are saved by Christ.
So, the dead are dead for a period of time. At the end of that time, they are saved by Christ.
So, those separated and outside of the kingdom, are there for a period of time. At the end of that time, they are saved by Christ.
It is one of the greatest blasphemies to attribute to eternity what is meant for a period of time. The behavior of Judas or any other unbeliever in history, though they are lost for a period of time, is no match for the power of Christ’s cross to eventually save them through judgement.
Yes, Christ’s cross is that powerful!
Email: What you are teaching through your writing is error. One example: Judas Iscariot. In His high priestly prayer in John 17, Christ stated that not one of those who the Father had given Him perished, except the son of perdition (Judas) that the Scripture might be fulfilled. Judas went out and killed himself. (Matthew 27 3 – 10). Christ described Judas as a devil – John 6: 70 – 71. Judas was lost – Christ said he had perished. No mention of Judas ultimately being redeemed “through judgement”.
Revelation 19 and 20 tells us what is the ultimate end of the beast and Satan and their minions – the lake of fire. Jude tells us that the fallen angels (the demons) are reserved in chains under darkness for the final judgement, following which they will be punished in eternal fire. So no – not “all” are saved. That teaching is in error, and makes a mockery of the cross and Christ’s sacrifice for sin. Matthew 7, 19- 23 makes this very clear.
My response: There is no doubt that Judas perished and was lost. However, it is a grave error to assign to eternity what is temporary. These verses refer to the 1000 year rule of Christ, not eternity. Judas will miss out, be dead, perish, be lost, be out or whatever you want to say with regard to this kingdom. He will be raised after the 1000 years for judgement (judgement is correction according to Isaiah 26:9), then Judas will be cast into the lake of fire which is defined as DEATH, the SECOND DEATH. So, what happens to Judas and all those in DEATH when DEATH is abolished? They are made alive by the Christ’s death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection. Why do you think 1 Corinthians 15: 21-28 and Colossians 1: 15-20 do not include Judas when ALL of creation is included? I encourage you to study these verses and understand that many are lost for the 1000 year kingdom and the next age of time, but none are lost for eternity. Salvation is dependent on Christ and His work and to say that Judas or anyone’s behavior will keep them from God in the end…means that you do not believe in the complete work of Christ on the cross. Its YOU that makes a mockery of the cross by limiting Christ’s completed work by making it dependent upon human behavior. It’s Christ that saves, not our behavior. Yes, the cross is that powerful to eventually save all of God’s creation. First, believers, then the rest through judgement for God is the Savior of all mankind, especially, not exclusively of believers (1 Timothy 4:10).
Email: Nowhere in my comment did I say that Christ’s completed work on the cross is dependent on human behavior. I find it disturbing that you would allege something about my comment that is clearly not there.
Ephesians 1: 5 “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, to Himself, according to the kind intentions of His will”.
Ephesians 2:8 “for by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, that no-one should boast”.
The reconciliation spoken of in Colossians 1 is the mediatorial work of Christ in making peace between those who were formerly alienated (ie all of us) and God the Father.
Paul in Ephesians was writing to a new church, composed mainly of non-Jews. He refers to the abolition of the law (it’s requirements were completely fulfilled in Christ) and the removal of the wall of partition between God and the people (as represented by the veil in the temple that was ripped apart at Christ’s death. (Matthew 27:51).
Christ came to save a people for Himself (Titus 2:14). It is through grace from God that we believe. God, in His sovereignty, has foreordained who will believe in Christ through grace. Ephesians 1:4.
I would suggest that you stop taking Scripture out of context.
You said that Judas is lost forever, correct? That means that Christ’s work on the cross DID NOT COMPLETE salvation for Judas. Therefore, Christ’s work was incomplete for salvation. If you say that Christ did complete salvation, then how come Judas is not saved? You are implying that Christ did His work on the cross but because of Judas’ behavior, he is not saved. So, if any independent human faith, decision, or act determines whether or not they are saved…then it is dependent on human behavior. So, don’t hide behind false offense because you refuse to follow your belief to its logical conclusion.
I’m not understanding your point on Ephesians 1:5 and 2:8 and really, the rest of the verses you cited? Yes of course, God chooses who will believe and He Himself gives them faith. God clearly gives faith to believers, but you are saying that God eternally tortures those that He does not give faith? So, they have no chance, God just created them to be tortured? That’s not love…that’s sick! Not to mention that in Timothy it is said that God wills all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of truth. How can God will someone to be saved and then purposely make them not believe what is necessary to be saved?
God does not torture those that He does not give faith to…He eventually saves them through judgement. That is why God is the Savior of All mankind, especially, not exlusively of believers (1 Timothy 4:10). Romans chapter 8 talks about how God chooses the firstfruits of salvation (believers) not to damn the rest, but to work with Christ to SAVE the rest (unbelievers).
You admit that Colossians 1 talks about all creation as Paul makes that clear. He also makes it clear that all creation, the same all creation created by God through Christ, is reconciled to God through the blood of the cross. So, how is saying that ‘all are reconciled to God’ taking scripture out of context? What context are you inventing here?
My how you limit the power of Christ’s cross and the love of God by saying that He gives faith to some and damns the rest for eternity. Christ did what He did for the exact same all that Adam condemned to death. But what you don’t get is that we did nothing to get death, we inherited it from Adam. Therefore, we do nothing to get life justified, we inherited it from Christ. Is Adam greater than Christ? In your mind, he is…
Faith, my friend, is a realization God gives us to Christ’s completed work for all humanity. Faith IS NOT something that MAKES what Christ did true for us. Some come to the realization of what Christ accomplished when God gives them faith, the rest come to this realization through judgement.
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The Road to Christ paved by God
I want to clarify some things about my previous post asking the question ‘Do all roads lead to God?”
That video and article was done in the context of Christianity using the argument that the ‘salvation of all’ denies that one is saved by Christ in relation to John 14:6.
Everyone is saved through Christ in the end and no one is saved apart from Him. Again, in that sense, only Jesus saves and not all roads lead to God. This article was witten to combat that common argument of religion that states ‘oh, so you are saying that everyone is saved no matter what they believe or no matter what happens.’ No! everyone is saved by Christ, its just that everyone finds Him or should I say, He finds them.
I wanted to make that clear for those that ‘do not believe’ in the salvation of all, that there is indeed only one way to God and that is through Christ. However, I had a few statements about God’s sovereignty saying that in the absolute sense ‘all roads do lead to God’ because God controls everything.
It is, of course, true that God does control every road of every person and those roads eventually end up coming through Christ and to God. So, it is also true in that sense…the sense of God’s sovereignty, that all roads do in fact lead to God through Christ.
However, this can be very confusing when these statements are made in the context of a video/article discussing the christian argument that those that believe in the salvation of all are ‘universalists’ that believe people can be saved apart from Christ.
So let me make it as clear as I can:
I believe in the salvation of all as stated in scripture (1 Timothy 4:10, Romans 5: 18-19, 1 Corinthians 15: 21-22, 1 Corinthians 15:28, Colossians 1: 15:20).
I believe that all will eventually be saved with the believer being first, then, the rest are saved through judgement. ALL, however, are saved through and only through…Christ Jesus and His death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY FOR MAN TO BE SAVED, THEY WILL ALL COME THROUGH CHRIST.
I believe that every religion, every sinful life, every road taken by each individual is planned by God to bring that person to God through Christ. It that sense, everything that happens and every false belief is planned and used by God to bring all to salvation.
So, in summary, there is only one way to God and that is through Christ. Everyone one eventually comes through Christ by way of every and any road, religion, and action planned by the sovereign God.
We need to go no furthur than Romans 11:35-36 when Paul asks who gives to God first? With this question that need not be answered, our apostle is telling us that everything we have is given to us by God. We can give nothing to God that He has not first given to us.
Whatever faith we have…given to us by God.
Whatever disposition we have…given to us by God.
Whatever repentance we have…given to us by God.
Whatever good or bad works we have…given to us by God.
Whatever religion we believe in…given to us by God.
The next verse drives the hammer into the nail. Every false religion, every good and bad deed, every thought and belief, everything action under the sun and throughout the universe, every creature and creed IS OUT OF GOD, THROUGH GOD, AND FOR GOD (Romans 11:36), and ALL WILL BE RECONCILED TO GOD THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE CROSS (Colossians 1:20).
You see, what Jesus did, He did for the entire human race…the entire creation in fact. Everyone gets to God because Christ died for sins, was entombed, and resurrected to guarantee the eventual salvation of all. In that sesnse, He is the One and only way to God. The Sovereign God, of Whom all comes, plans every detail of every life including thought, belief, and religious allegience that eventually, through failure, leads to the cross of Christ. In that sense, all roads do lead to God through Christ.
Hope this clears up any confusion.
Grace and peace to you all.
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Do all roads lead to God?
It’s not universalism…It’s the power of the cross!
The power of Christ’s cross cannot be thwarted by anything a human does or doesn’t do. All is of God and Christ’s cross includes every detail of every life leading to the salvation of all. God gives belief to those He chooses, first. The rest are saved through judgement, later. However, in the end, all are saved.
However, Christians like to use the term ‘universalism’ so they can equate the salvation of all with false teaching. Then, the religionist can say ‘universalism’ is false while in reality, they are denying the power of the cross.
For instance, Christians will quote this verse:
6 Jesus is saying to him, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one is coming to the Father except through Me. – John 14:6
I’ve heard people say, “See, the only way to God is through Jesus Christ.” This is sometimes used to argue against the salvation of all. I don’t doubt for a second that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to God. I just believe what scripture declares that ALL eventually come through Christ Jesus.
Let’s be clear that this is not a ‘all roads lead to God’ doctrine, but a truth of the complete work of Christ’s cross that eventually saves every man, woman, child, and living creature that ever existed.
In fact, I contend that those who use John 14:6 to defend annihilation or eternal hell, don’t actually believe this verse. Here is why: We get to God THROUGH Christ and that means it is Christ that brings us to God. People who reject the salvation of all say that it is THROUGH a free-will decision or THROUGH some other work that salvation is won. Therefore, the faulty belief relies on human achievment to bring a person to God and actually denies that it is THROUGH Christ.
We are a product of God’s achievement and not human achievment…
10 For His achievement are we, being created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God makes ready beforehand, that we should be walking in them. -Ephesians 2:10
Grace and peace to you all.
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‘New Creation’ or ‘Born Again?’
How ‘trying to be like Christ’ can keep you from Truth-
Why are people NOT ILLUMINATED by the evangel of the glory of Christ? Why does Christ, the Image of the invisible God, not irradiate them (2 Corinthians 4:4)?
Could it be because too many Christians and religious people are focused on the flesh of Jesus? Is it because too many people are trying to make their flesh like His flesh?
Well relatively, the god of this eon (Satan) blinds the apprehensions of the unbelieving, according to the apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 4:4). Ultimately, we know that it is only God that can open the eyes of the spirtually blind. But again, how are these people blind…how do they not see the truth of Christ’s accomplishment?
It is because they are heralding ‘themselves’ by comparing ‘themselves’ to the flesh of Christ.
3 Now, if our evangel is covered, also, it is covered in those who are perishing,
4 in whom the god of this eon blinds the apprehensions of the unbelieving so that the illumination of the evangel of the glory of Christ, Who is the Image of the invisible God, does not irradiate them.
5 For we are not heralding ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, yet ourselves your slaves because of Jesus,
6 for the God Who says that, out of darkness light shall be shining, is He Who shines in our hearts, with a view to the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. – 2 Corinthians 4: 3-6In verse 5, Paul makes the point that believers are not heralding ‘ourselves’ and therefore by association, unbelievers ARE heralding ‘themselves.’ How? Christians and religious people herald ‘themselves’ by claiming that it is their free-will choice, their works, their faith that saves them. They herald themselves by claiming to do something of themselves (apart from God) that makes them acceptable to God.
Others, that do not do this thing are not acceptable to God, according to the religious. Therefore, nevermind that Christ reconciled all creation to God through the cross (Colossians 1: 15-20), the Christian makes salvation all about ‘self’ attainment. Paul teaches that salvation is all about the cross. That is the difference.
Paul sheds glorious light on the folly of the Christian ‘born again, fleshly’ religion in verses completely ignored by the religious jokers that run society. These verses are 2 Corinthians 5: 14-21.
First, I want to focus on verses 16 and 17:
16 So that we, from now on, are acquainted with no one according to flesh. Yet even if we have known Christ according to flesh, nevertheless now we know Him so no longer. 17 So that, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the primitive passed by. Lo! there has come new! – 2 Corinthians 5:16-17
There it is! WE ARE NOT BORN AGAIN! We are a NEW CREATION. ‘again’ and ‘new’ are two very different words and concepts. Oh, if the ‘born again’ christian would understand this…they don’t.
I am going to quote John 3:3 from the KJV which says:
King James Bible
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.Oh, the confusion this causes. Jesus, here, is speaking to those of Israel seeking to enter the 1000 year Kingdom to rule on earth with Christ. The nation of Israel has to be ‘born again’ in order to accept their Messiah. However, this is not what the apostle Paul is talking about in 2 Corinthians 5: 16-17. Paul is talking about becoming a ‘new creation’ which is very different than being ‘born again.’
The proof is in the pudding…or the scriptures.
Paul says to be acquainted with no one according to the flesh, including JESUS! He says, “Yet even if we have known Christ according to flesh, nevertheless now we know Him so no longer.” I think A.E. Knoch sums these verses up best, so I will quote from his commentary:
Paul had been proclaiming the kingdom, with Christ and the nation which is related to Him by physical ties at its head. Entrance into that kingdom was by a birth from above. But now the figure of birth is not radical enough to denote the great change. Just as, after the day of the Lord, heaven and earth will be re-created, so is the spiritual change which took place at this juncture. There is a new creation. Paul never connects the new birth with his teaching to the nations. It suffices to figure the change necessary for the sons of Israel and their proselytes, fitting them for the earthly millennial sphere. For us, far more is needed. Like Adam, we are not a mere renewal of kind, but an entirely new creation.
– A.E. Knoch, Concordant Commentary on the New Testament, page 271
The Christian religion and its adherents are all about following Jesus in the flesh and living a life of ‘What would Jesus do’ in order to impress God. However, this message of flesh and Israel distinction, is for the 1000 year earthly kingdom. Paul here, is speaking of something beyond that. He is talking about the full accomplishment and application of the cross. An entirely new creation!
Its not about following Jesus in the flesh but understanding that through His death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection, God is at peace with all creation. Its about what Christ has completed in Spirit and not about what we accomplish in the flesh.
We are NOT with Christ, in flesh. We are with Christ, in spirit. For the Christian, Jesus made it possible for them to be righteous (or so they say). For the believer, Christ IS our righteousness. Do you see the difference?
One more time…the Christian’s righteousness is separate from Christ in that they must believe, act right, make the correct choice apart from Christ in order to be in Christ. The believer, on the other hand, is not separate from Christ at all. Everything Christ has, they have. Righteousness is not something that needs to be attained nor maintained because Christ attained it and therefore, it is attained for us.
We simply await the deliverence of our body!
Grace and peace to you all.
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